Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Grundy by Shadow
Long fascinated with the Manhattan Project, Grundy was naturally drawn to Cindy Gates' Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation “Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation" and is making a work of glass art to accompany it. Shadow spoke to Grundy about her inspiration on the project and long love of Tolkien.
SWG News
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Azh, Admirable Monster by Shadow
As a physicist themself, Azh confronts the issues around the ethical use of science in both the professional and creative realms. Shadow spoke with Azh about their story "Lightborn," written to accompany Cindy Gates' Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation “Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation,” its real-life inspirations, and the importance of fallibility in Tolkien's world.
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with bunn by Shadow
Bunn's work is beloved in the Tolkien fandom, where they are both an author and an artist. Along those lines, they will be creating both a story for Mereth Aderthad 2025 and a work of art for a different presentation. Shadow spoke with bunn about their Mereth Aderthad works, the appeal of Dwarves, and the many fruitful connections between Beowulf and Tolkien's own work.
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with chrissystriped by Dawn
In our series of interviews of creators for Mereth Aderthad, Dawn spoke with chrissystriped about her story, written for Shadow's "The Aromantic in Tolkien" presentation, her process as a writer, and the importance of representing aro-ace characters in fanfiction.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] i swallowed your name // it tasted like light by atlantablack
"You should tell me to stop," Fëanáro says softly, taking the last step and pressing himself flush against Ñolofinwë.
Ñolofinwë swallows with some difficulty, tilts his head back against the door to meet Fëanáro's eyes. "You are my brother," he says, voice wavering. "We should not."
…[Writing] High in the Clean Blue Air by StarSpray
They passed out of Lhûn and the wider coastline of Middle-earth opened up before his eyes. He had wandered those shores for centuries, and even now he felt the pull of that same wanderlust, and knew he would miss them for the rest of his life. Their wildness, the untamed waves, the rocky…
[Reference] Interview with Cynthia Gates, a.k.a. pandemonium_213 by Grundy by pandemonium_213, Grundy
Cindy Gates' presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025, "Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation," explores the ethics of refusal in the (mis)use of science and technology. A retired scientist herself, Cindy spoke to Grundy about her upcoming presentation and its inspiration in Cindy's…
[Writing] A Huntress Among Fools by Isilme_among_the_stars
If Aredhel had to listen to one more person heap praise on her brother while she stood right beside him, completely disregarded, she might scream. The praises were well deserved, she must admit. But was it only Fingon who scouted ahead over the treacherous shifting ice of the Helcaraxë? Didn…
[Writing] Like Stars We Fall by Isilme_among_the_stars
As the Sons of Fëanor set their feet on the path to the sack of Doriath, Caranthir reflects on the characters of himself and his brothers and contemplates where the responsibility lies for their predicament.
[Writing] All That Was Not Lost to the Fire by Isilme_among_the_stars
Little moments of connection that Maedhros finds with his family. A collection of drabbles and other short writings to accompany One in the Fires of the Heart of the World.
[Writing] One In the Fires of the Heart of the World by Isilme_among_the_stars
Maedhros finds that regret and pain do not end with death. But it does at last bring release from the oath and he can at last embark upon the long, hard road toward redemption.
Current Challenge
Period Drama
A Matryoshka challenge where prompts are inspired by common tropes found in period dramas and historical fiction. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Block Party
During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, we offered a menu of daily prompts designed to help people connect, show kindness to others, and refocus on their own creativity during this uncertain moment in history. Read more ...
New in References
Interview with Cynthia Gates, a.k.a. pandemonium_213 by Grundy by pandemonium_213, Grundy
Cindy Gates' presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025, "Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation," explores the ethics of refusal in the (mis)use of science and technology. A retired scientist herself, Cindy spoke to Grundy about her upcoming presentation and its inspiration in Cindy's fascination with the Manhattan Project.
Interview with Grundy by Shadow by Grundy, daughterofshadows
Long fascinated with the Manhattan Project, Grundy was naturally drawn to Cindy Gates' Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation “Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation" and is making a work of glass art to accompany it. Shadow spoke to Grundy about her inspiration on the project and long love of Tolkien.
Interview with Azh, Admirable Monster by Shadow by AdmirableMonster, daughterofshadows
As a physicist themself, Azh confronts the issues around the ethical use of science in both the professional and creative realms. Shadow spoke with Azh about their story "Lightborn," written to accompany Cindy Gates' Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation “Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation,” its real-life inspirations, and the importance of fallibility in Tolkien's world.
Featured Themed Collection
Part of our Themed Collection series for our newsletter, this collection features fiction, artwork, and essays that transcend the idea of Orcs as the enemy, instead considering their humanity.
Alliterative Verse for Arda by Rhunedhel
Part of our Themed Collection series for our newsletter, this collection features alliterative poems about Middle-earth.
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Artwork] Floating through the Forest River by Varda delle Stelle
Bilbo and Thorin's Company are arriving to Lake Town floating through the Forest River with the barrels
[Writing] The Wondrous Tale of the Bee-wolf by bunn
Once upon a time, JRR Tolkien wrote a fairy-tale retelling, an attempt to reconstruct an alternative version of the ancient poem called Beowulf, and he called it Sellic Spell: 'strange tale' or 'wondrous tale'.
Once upon a time, on the long road home from the Lonely…
[Writing] Dáin's Saga by bunn
The tale of Dáin Ironfoot, told loosely in the style of a saga of Iceland (in English translation).
Around the World and Web
Joyful June 2025
Joyful June is a fanworks event on Tumblr and AO3 where the goal is to let our favourite characters be happy.
Numenor Week 2025
Numenor Week is a Tumblr event created for fans of the tragic and beautiful story of the Land of the Gift, from its birth to its downfall.
Monster Fucker May 2025
This is an 18+ Tumblr and AO3 event for smutty fanworks involving monsters from the legendarium, put on by the Tolkien Pinup Calendar.
May Challenge at tolkienshortfanworks on Dreamwidth
The May challenge has been posted at the tolkienshortfanwork community on Dreamwidth. This month it is a number of prompts containing "may", including "May It Be", by Enya.
Teitho May/June Challenge: Weddings
The theme for Teitho's May/June contest is "weddings."
SWG News
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Grundy by Shadow
Posted by SWG Moderators on 29 May 2025. Last updated on 31 May 2025.
Grundy is one of our moderators on the SWG and best known for her fiction here on our site. However, she is also a glass artist, and this is where she is turning her attention for Mererth Aderthad 2025, as she designs a fanwork-in-glass for Cindy Gates' presentation “Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation." Shadow spoke to Grundy about her inspiration on the project and long love of Tolkien.
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Azh, Admirable Monster by Shadow
Posted by SWG Moderators on 29 May 2025. Last updated on 29 May 2025.
Tolkien identified one of the major themes of his work as "the machine": the power and appropriate use of technology. Azh's found fiction "Lightborn" considers the topic of abnegation and scientific progress, based on Cindy Gates' forthcoming presentation on the subject, "Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation." Shadow spoke with Azh about their story, its real-life inspiration in their work, and the sympathy that Tolkien shows even for characters who commit moral failures.
You can read Shadow's interview with Azh, Admirable Monster here.
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with bunn by Shadow
Posted by SWG Moderators on 24 May 2025. Last updated on 24 May 2025.
Dragons and Dwarves are among the mysterious creatures in the legendarium, and for both, Tolkien took his own inspiration from Germanic myth, folklore, and literature. For Mereth Aderthad 2025, bunn is creating both a story and a work of art for presentations rooted in the Germanic lore of the legendarium: cloudyhymn's presentation "The Design of Dragons and the Doom of Dwarves" and Savannah Horrell's presentation "By Guile Committed: Comparing Tolkien’s Thieves to Beowulf." Shadow spoke to bunn about their work for these two presentations, the appeal of Dwarves, and the many fruitful connections between Beowulf and Tolkien's own work.
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with chrissystriped by Dawn
Posted by SWG Moderators on 22 May 2025. Last updated on 22 May 2025.
Chrissystriped is a prolific author on the SWG whose work spans characters and ages and topics. For Mereth Aderthad 2025, chrissystriped is writing for Shadow's presentation, "The Aromantic in Tolkien," and will be sharing a Third Age story that features Bilbo and Boromir as aromantic characters. Dawn spoke with chrissystriped about her story, her process as a writer, and the importance of representing aro-ace characters in fanfiction.
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Dr. Zara Ashkenazi-Khan by Saelind
Posted by SWG Moderators on 17 May 2025. Last updated on 30 May 2025.
The third kinslaying at Sirion is one of the most controversial and discussed moments in The Silmarillion by its fandom. But what makes this moment stand apart in a novel that Dr. Zara Ashkenazi-Khan describes as one of "spectacular violence"?
Saelind interviewed Zara about her upcoming presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025, "Exile, Ruin and Resistance: Beleriand as Postcolonial Palimpsest." They of course discussed the third kinslaying and why it is "a moment of rupture ... [exposing] a faultline in the narrative’s presumed moral and civilisational order," but they also discussed how The Silmarillion is a text full of such breaking points, moral ambiguities in Tolkien's work, and the role of fanworks and scholarship both in revealing and understanding these complexities.
You can read Saelind's interview with Dr. Zara Ashkenazi-Khan here.
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Silmalope by Dawn
Posted by SWG Moderators on 14 May 2025. Last updated on 30 May 2025.
Since our first challenge back in 2005, Strong Women, the SWG has sought to establish a creative space where fanworks about characters from underrepresented groups aren't just welcomed but explicitly encouraged. Shadow's Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation, "The Aromantic in Tolkien," is the perfect example of a fan-turned-scholar bringing forward a character identity that typically goes unseen and unacknowledged. Silmalope is the featured artist for Shadow's presentation, bringing their vibrant style and diverse character representations to the project. Dawn spoke with Silmalope about their inspiration as a creator of Tolkien-based fanworks, their connection to Shadow's topic on ace-aro characters, and the importance of diverse representation in fanworks.
New Challenge: Period Drama
Posted by SWG Moderators on 11 May 2025. Last updated on 14 May 2025.
A rustle of silk, the song of a sword unsheathed, the rhythmic clop of hooves on cobblestones … Period dramas take us back in time—to the good times, that is, and an escape to a past where we aren't asked to endure the absence of antibiotics, electric lights, or basic rights for most of the population; when people and clothing were beautiful (and had all of their teeth), no one stunk, and toileting practices are left to the imagination.
This month's challenge is a Matryoshka challenge, where you will choose a prompt set based on a level of difficulty, revealing one prompt at a time as you move through your fanwork. Prompts are based around common tropes found in period dramas. It is important to note, however, that your fanwork does not need to be a period piece itself. Any genre, topic, and approach to the prompts is welcome!
This month there is a special stamp available for nonwritten fanworks made using the Matryoshka prompts! This would include artwork, audio, link collections, playlists, videos, and multimedia fanworks. Writing is allowed but should also include one of these other types.
Note that, in the past, Matryoshka challenges required creators to request a prompt set from the moderators. You no longer need to do that! Period Drama prompts are now found on the challenge page. Select the difficulty level you want and click to open prompts one at a time as you work.
Thank you to Zdenka for this month's banner and stamps!
In order to receive a stamp for your fanwork, your response must be posted to the archive on or before 15 June 2025. For complete challenge guidelines, see the Challenges page on our website.
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with JazTheBard by Maglor
Posted by SWG Moderators on 9 May 2025. Last updated on 23 May 2025.
Have you ever noticed that Lúthien, Maeglin, and Arwen share names that mean "twilight child"? While Lúthien and Arwen might make sense, how does Maeglin factor in? For her Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation, JazTheBard explores this connection, noting that while Tolkien was surely aware of it in his own work, "he probably wouldn't agree with the conclusions I'm drawing from it!" Maglor interviewed Jaz about her upcoming presentation, "Twilight, Child Of: Comparisons Between Tinúviel, Lómion, and Undómiel," her love of music (and musical plans for the presentation!), and how gender further complicates her conclusion.
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Savannah Horrell by Anérea
Posted by SWG Moderators on 3 May 2025. Last updated on 23 May 2025.
The Hobbit is essentially the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf told from the perspective of the thief: Bilbo Baggins. Although embroidered significantly beyond the poem that gave it its inspiration, that key plot element remains, along with other important connections to the Germanic literature that Tolkien loved. For the latest in our series of interviews of presenters for Mereth Aderthad 2025, Anérea spoke with Savannah Horrell about her upcoming presentation "By Guile Committed: Comparing Tolkien’s Thieves to Beowulf." Savannah notes important connections between Tolkien and Beowulf but observes that the two authors depict thieves quite differently, leading to works with very different tones and themes.
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Zhie by Shadow
Posted by SWG Newsletter Staff on 3 May 2025. Last updated on 17 May 2025.
Although not a scientist himself, Tolkien cared deeply for accuracy in the sciences in his work. Uncovering the scientific roots or applying the sciences to the legendarium is one area of scholarly and fannish inquiry. Shadow spoke with Zhie about Zhie's upcoming Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation, "How to Make a Star from a Tree: The Science of Telperion and Laurelin," about the rewards and challenges of approaching such a topic as a nonscientist and the unique role that fans have to play in Tolkien scholarship.
Listen to Shadow's interview with Zhie here or read the transcript of the interview here.
